Automatic orifice plate changer



Aug. 11, 1964 J. M. WILLIAMS AUTOMATIC ORIFICE PLATE CHANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 25, 1961 Joe M. Williams INVENTOR.

IN VENTOR.

Aug. 11, 1964 J. M. WILLIAMS AUTOMATIC ORIFICE PLATE CHANGER I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1961 United States Patent 3,144,238 AUTOMATIC ORIFICE PLATE CHANGER Joe M. Williams, Refugio, Tex. Filed Sept. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 140,556 Claims. (Cl. 251206) This invention relates to a novel and useful automatic orifice plate changer and is specifically adapted for use in connection with gas wells and for providing a means whereby the flow of gas from a Well may be selectively varied. In some locations regulatory controls change periodically as to the maximum rate gas may be taken from a well and accordingly means must be provided for limiting the yield from a gas well. While several methods of limiting the yield from a gas well have been heretofore devised, no one method has provided a means whereby a selected one of a plurality of rates of yield may be readily effected. Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide an automatic orifice plate changer which may be interposed in a gas flow line and utilized to quickly and effortlessly change the rate of flow yield from a gas well.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding object, is to provide an automatic orifice plate changer which may be readily interposed in a gas line.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an automatic orifice plate changer in accordance with the preceding objects which will be easy to operate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects which will provide a means whereby it may be readily ascertained which rate of yield is being used in connection with a given gas flow line.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an automatic orifice plate changer in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and simple in operation so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the automatic orifice plate changer of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the support arm of the invention by which the gate type plate is mounted for reciprocal longitudinal movement;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the threaded sleeve by which the gate type plate is mounted for reciprocal movement longitudinally of the support arm upon rotation of the screw shaft of the orifice plate changer;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken sub stantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the mounting plates of the orifice plate changer.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the orifice plate changer of the instant invention which includes first and second base members generally referred to by the reference numerals 12 and 14. Each of the base members 12 and "ice 14 includes a pair of upper and lower sides 16 and 18 and is provided with a central opening 20 which extends transversely therethrough. A male coupling member 22 is secured in each opening 20 in any convenient manner such as by welding 24 and the male coupling members are externally threaded for threaded engagement with fluid line sections 26.

The base members 12 and 14 are each substantially rectangular in plan and the base member 14 includes four corner bores 28 through which headed fasteners 36' are disposed. The ends of the fasteners 3% remote from the head portions 32 thereof are externally threaded and threadedly engaged in complementary threaded bores 34 formed in the four corners of the base member 12. The upper surface of the base member 12 has a pair of spaced concentric rings or annular flanges 36 and 38 formed thereon and the base member 14 has a corresponding pair of annular flanges 40 and 42 formed on its lower surface 18.

A pair of annular seal members 44 and 46 are seated between corresponding pairs of annular flanges 36 and 38 and 40 and 42 respectively defining a pair of annular seats on the confronting faces of said plates.

A generally U-shaped support arm referred to in general by the reference numeral 50 includes a pair of generally parallel arm members 58 and 60 interconnected at corresponding ends by means of a bight portion 62. The ends of the arm members 58 and 60 remote from the bight portion 62 are provided with extensions 64- and 66 respectively which are secured to the undersurface of the base member 12 in any convenient manner such as by welding. It will be noted that the base member 12 abuts against the free ends of the arm members 58 and 6t) and that the confronting surfaces of the arm members 58 and 60 are provided with inwardly projecting pairs ofparallel flanges 68 and 70.

A gate type plate generally referred to by the reference numeral 72 is substantially rectangular in plan and is planar and has its opposite side marginal edge portions slidingly and snugly received between corresponding pairs of flanges 63 and 70. In addition, an internally threaded sleeve member 74 is secured to the bottom of the plate 72 by means of an apertured mounting portion 76 through which fasteners 78 are secured and threadedly engaged in the plate 72 as at 80.

A screw member generally referred to by the reference numeral 82 is journalled for rotation in the opening 34 formed in the bight portion 62 and is secured against longitudinal displacement relative to the bight portion 62 by means of longitudinally spaced annular flanges 86 and 88 which embrace the bight portion 62. The end of the screw member 82 projecting through the side of the bight portion 62 remote from the base member 12 is provided with a crank arm 90 for effecting rotation of the screw member 82 and it will be noted that the screw member 82 is threadedly engaged with the sleeve member 74 whereby rotation of the screw member 82 will effect longitudinal movement of the gate type plate 72.

It will be noted that the gate type plate 72 is provided with a plurality of orifices 92, 94, 96, 98 and 100 and that the lower end of each orifice is outwardly flared. In addition, it will be noted that the end of the gate type plate 72 remote from the bight portion 62 is disposed in tight sliding contacting relation between the confronting sufaces of the annular seal members 44 and 46. The seal members 44 and 46 may be conveniently constructed of any suitable somewhat resilient and slippery material such as Teflon or Delrin.

With the automatic orifice plate changer 10 interposed in a fluid line defined by the sections 26, the gate type plate 72 may be adjusted longitudinally to register a selected one of the orifices 92, 94, 96, 98 and 1% with the annular seal members 44 and 46. In this manner, the rate of flow of fluid through the fluid line may be readily metered.

It is to be understood that the fasteners 30 may be adjusted when wear occurs between the annular seat members 44 and 46 and the gate type plate 72.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A sliding gate-type orifice changer adapted to be inserted in the fluid line and for selectively varying the flow of fluid through said line, said orifice changer comprising generally parallel first and second plate-like base members having aligned openings extending transversely therethrough including means adapted to secure adjacent fluid line sections to said plates in fluid-tight sealed engagement with the portions of said plates defining the remote ends of said openings, the confronting surfaces of said base members each defining an annular seat extending about the corresponding opening, said annular seats each having an annular seal seated therein and projecting outwardly of the corresponding one of said confronting surfaces, support means carried by one of said base members and defining elongated guideway means generally paralleling the planes in which said plates are disposed and extending outwardly away from one pair of corresponding edge portions of said base members, an elongated sliding gate-type plate slidingly supported from said guideway means for guided longitudinal movement in a plane pass ing between said seals and with the latter disposed in tight sliding engagement with the opposite side faces of said plate, said gate-type plate having a plurality of orifices formed therethrough of different sizes, spaced along said plate in the direction of movement of said plate relative to said base members and selectively registerable with said openings, and elongated tension members extending between said base members and spaced circumferentially about said seals outwardly of the latter and adjustably urging said base members toward each other, said guideway means terminating at the end thereof adjacent said base members at a point spaced from said seals whereby said plate may be slightly laterally deflected by said seals in the event the medial plane of said plate does not perfectly coincide with a plane disposed halfway between said seals.

2. The combination of claim 1 including means secured between said support means and said plate for effecting adjusted longitudinal movement of the latter between said annular seat members.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support means includes a pair of generally parallel arm members, said arm members each including a pair of inwardly projecting parallel flanges defining a guideway therebetween comprising a portion of said guideway means, the Opposite side marginal edge portions of said plate being slidingly received in corresponding ones of said guideways.

4. The combination of claim 3 including means secured between said support means and said plate for adjustably longitudinally positioning the latter between said annular seals, said adjustably positioning means including a bight portion secured between the ends of said arm members remote from said one base member, one end of a screw member rotatably journalled through said bight portion and secured therethrough against longitudinal movement relative to said bight portion, a threaded sleeve member carried by the adjacent end of said plate, said screw member threadedly engaged with said sleeve member.

5. The combination of claim 4 including a crank arm carried by the end of said screw member projecting from the side of said bight portion remote from said base members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 162,338 Ball Apr. 20, 1875 550,711 Eads Dec. 3, 1895 562,410 Moon June 23, 1896 1,049,450 Caskey Jan. 7, 1913 1,953,828 Johnson Apr. 3, 1934 2,780,232 Ney Feb. 5, 1957 

1. A SLIDING GATE-TYPE ORIFICE CHANGER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN THE FLUID LINE AND FOR SELECTIVELY VARYING THE FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH SAID LINE, SAID ORIFICE CHANGER COMPRISING GENERALLY PARALLEL FIRST AND SECOND PLATE-LIKE BASE MEMBERS HAVING ALIGNED OPENINGS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THERETHROUGH INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED TO SECURE ADJACENT FLUID LINE SECTIONS TO SAID PLATES IN FLUID-TIGHT SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES DEFINING THE REMOTE ENDS OF SAID OPENINGS, THE CONFRONTING SURFACES OF SAID BASE MEMBERS EACH DEFINING AN ANNULAR SEAT EXTENDING ABOUT THE CORRESPONDING OPENING, SAID ANNULAR SEATS EACH HAVING AN ANNULAR SEAL SEATED THEREIN AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID CONFRONTING SURFACES, SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID BASE MEMBERS AND DEFINING ELONGATED GUIDEWAY MEANS GENERALLY PARALLELING THE PLANES IN WHICH SAID PLATES ARE DISPOSED AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM ONE PAIR OF CORRESPONDING EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID BASE MEMBERS, AN ELONGATED SLIDING GATE-TYPE PLATE SLIDINGLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID GUIDEWAY MEANS FOR GUIDED LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT IN A PLANE PASSING BETWEEN SAID SEALS AND WITH THE LATTER DISPOSED IN TIGHT SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDE FACES OF SAID PLATE, SAID GATE-TYPE PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ORIFICES FORMED THERETHROUGH OF DIFFERENT SIZES, SPACED ALONG SAID PLATE IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PLATE RELATIVE TO SAID BASE MEMBERS AND SELECTIVELY REGISTERABLE WITH SAID OPENINGS, AND ELONGATED TENSION MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BASE MEMBERS AND SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT SAID SEALS OUTWARDLY OF THE LATTER AND ADJUSTABLY URGING SAID BASE MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID GUIDEWAY MEANS TERMINATING AT THE END THEREOF ADJACENT SAID BASE MEMBERS AT A POINT SPACED FROM SAID SEALS WHEREBY SAID PLATE MAY BE SLIGHTLY LATERALLY DEFLECTED BY SAID SEALS IN THE EVENT THE MEDIAL PLANE OF SAID PLATE DOES NOT PERFECTLY COINCIDE WITH A PLANE DISPOSED HALFWAY BETWEEN SAID SEALS. 